Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Brewed by Central Waters Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Amherst, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Snifter

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Small light brown head, retention is naught, lace is thin and stringy. Black brew. This is a well rounded barrel aged Impy. Stout. Mild overall, very balanced. A gentler, kinder, barrel aged Stout. The whisky notes do NOT dominate the flavor or aroma profile, they elegantly add to it for sure. A mellow nose of vanilla, roast, faint bourbon notes, light berry notes also. Silky mouthfeel, medium bodied brew. Palatable bourbon notes blend well with the roast and faint chocolate malt flavors. Finish is dry with lingering vanilla notes and a touch of wood. A true joy to taste and rate. Very classy. jpdipso, thank you sir! Sure would like to have a few bottles of this sittin in my cellar!

UPDATED: NOV 5, 2004 Re-Rate 10/30/04 RBMNG - Badgerben was good enough to bring a couple of bottles of this stuff to our recent Ratebeer Minnesota Gathering. Since my previous rating was at a beer festival with less than ideal conditions, I felt I needed to re-rate it. Aroma jumped up 3 points and flavor went up one notch. Otherwise, identical marks. Rich, chocolate aroma with an obvious alcohol presence and hints of bourbon. Deep ruby red color with a small, off-white, mostly diminishing head. Excellent. Flavor is awesome; soft, chocolate, nuts. Reeeaaally good. Could be a little sweeter. Similar in essence to the Dark Lord. 9/6/04 - 2004 GTM. Milk chocolate aroma. Hint of alcohol. Opaque. Small, light brown head, mostly disappating. Reasonably high alcohol. Milk chocolate stout, but with higher alcohol. Flavor is excellent. One of the top brews at the GTM, but falls short of Town Hall’s Czar Jack.

Black, black, black, nothing but deep darkness from out of this bottle, with a nice espresso-tinged brown layer of foam, settling into a nice, tight rings, which never quits, just hangs in there. Aroma, in just one word? Wow! impressive! Thick, huge, pervasive alcoholic aroma, vast, expansive, heady, full of rich whiskey notes, dark flavors, coffee, brandy, licorice. big presence in the mouth, too, big in alcohol, as well, a flush with flavors of chocolate, dark rum, molasses, spices. Ful bodied, but thins out some in the middle, becoming not quite so much of the powerhouse that we like from our IS’s, though the bourbon character is prevalent throughout and really is the key to the enjoyment of this terrific stout. Has a true luxurious feel from that flavor, a real beastly, though well-mannered, presence in the mouth, with a rich, boozy kick on the lips with every sip!

Very dark in color with a nice tan colored head. The aroma is dark chocolate and roasted nuts, also sweet malt. The mouthfeel of this beer is probably the best I have ever experienced. Very soft, velvety in the mouth, also somewhat oily. Flavors are abundant as well: chocolate, roasted nuts, nice hoppiness in the finish. Very delicious.

(Bottle) Pours black with a thin off-white head. Aroma of coffee, licorice, vanilla, rich dark chocolate, and woodiness. Flavor of chocolate, vanilla, and roasted coffee. Light, fluffy on the tongue (similar to a Westy 12). Bitter and dry palate. Very nice balance and complexity. Tad, thank you so much for sharing your bottle!!! You da man!!!

Bu11zeye and I were at a tasting at TChrome’s house, and he had revealed his bottle in the fridge, from which point we were then relentless--it had to be opened. This was a form of Ratebeer Abuse that is probably unconscionable. Well, I do feel a twinge of guilt, but I’ll try to make it up to Tad and I’m not *really* losing any sleep over it. :-) This is a very subtle beer. Gentle, bourbon, woody, taco sauce, licorice, vanilla, rich dark chocolate, bug repellant, aroma with little alcohol at all (impressive considering its abv). Dense yet creamy, whipped, airy quality--so light on the palate. The flavor is roasted and bitter with a distinct marshmallow quality. It does strick me as an imperial stout in the vein of the Dark Lords and Speedways of the world--mostly because its palate is so much lighter. But it is a very balanced beer with a ton of sophistication. Thanks TChrome--you’re extremely gracious and will be rewarded when I find a way.

Deep dark black with just the faintest hints of ruby edges. Very quickly diminishing tan head. Sweet chocolate, roasted malt, sweet caramel, vanilla, oak, bourbon, and alcohol round out the very nice nose. Huge rich flavos throughout. Sweetness dominates, but there is a good bit of bitterness that come more to the front right during the swallow. More roasted malt inthe flavor than in the nose, the vanilla/bourbon/oak is more subdued though. Full mouthfell with a bit of alcohol burn and numbing. A very nice beer and not at all overdone. Mucho thankso to JPDIPSO!

I was lucky enough to get to try this at the Great Taste of the Midwest. Dark brown in color, with a rich chocolate scent. The bourbon flavor joins the chocolate in the taste. Alcohol isn’t as noticable as you’d expect. Very nice beer.

08.27.04 12 oz bottle via trade. Blackish pour is oozy and rich looking with a small brown head that fades to a lasting trace. Serious coffee and roasted nut nose. I get hints of the bourbon, but not a strong presence. Also detect a rich vanilla undertone that helps to lessen the whiskey alcohol burn with a more pleasing fragrant burn. First taste is brash and bitterly roasty assault on the palate and is followed by a strong retronasal shudder. If there was any doubt as to the effect of bourbon barrel aging in the nose, it is laid to rest by this outrageous display from the lips on back. Massively oakey, vanilla extract, bourbon burn, and a harsh bitterness that does not wane. There’s a nice balance on the palate of unctuousity [sic] and stoutish creaminess that really works, like the vanilla tones, and makes this crazy brew swallowable. A summertime sticky tar/pitch character seems to be at the root of this beer’s agressive nature, perhaps the brewer accidentaly dropped some driveway sealant into the kettle. This tarriness seems to dominate more than roasting, perhaps that’s what extreme roasting tastes like, but to me it is more of a burnt to a crisp forest flavor. Whatever, it works. The beer is huge and delicious. Two thousand thank yous for this great brew, Captain Cougar!

Head is initially small, frothy, brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark brown to black. Aroma is heavily malty (chocolate, caramel, coffee), lightly hoppy (apricot), with notes of vanilla, wood, scorched earth, bourbon/corn, raisin, and alcohol. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy/velvety texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Very nice "stouty" style Imperial, plus the barrel effects...and almost something I’d call a Baltic/Imperial Porter as the aroma is quite caramelly and not so roasty. Very strongly scented...the nose is enormous. That telltale corny bourbon smell is thankfully modest compared to many that have undergone this treatment, and frankly I’d probably rate this even higher if it hadn’t been put in a bourbon barrel at all (not a fan of this trend, as I don’t like the smell of bourbon at all). But this seemed to get a nice bit of character from the barrel besides the whiskey, a burnt earthy smell and seemingly American oak. Extremely well balanced and very creamy mouthfeel. Not my #1 fave Imperial, but delicious and well-made (doesn’t overdo anything, which is kind of rare in this country). Sampled this on a chilly rainy day at home, which hit the spot quite well. Thanks to a beer trading buddy of mine, you know who you are.